Nine songs that say something about the American dream
The list below includes some key songs that reflect and speak to the American dream at different levels. I like a lot of different genres of music but am partial to traditional country and other roots oriented tones. I did include a few popular 80s songs because they are so reminiscent of my childhood with the long road trips to visit family or to swim practices and meets. This was before the screens in cars for kids phenomenon so I recall dwelling on the lyrics, maybe more than was healthy at times.
“Smokey Mountain Memories” by Dolly Parton
It really wasn’t until college that I was introduced to the depth of Dolly Parton’s skills as a songwriter. A Southern Studies professor played Parton’s recording of “My Tennessee Mountain Home” and I quickly realized there was a lot more to her music than the pop-culture caricature of her. I started listening to a lot of Dolly Parton after that, particularly her vast catalogue of traditional music.
“Smokey Mountain Memories” is autobiographical in part. Parton has said at one time in her life her dad went to work in the auto factories up north, like a lot of folks from Appalachia did, and many that made the move did so permanently. She said her dad came back after a few weeks because he missed his family as they had stayed back in Tennessee. Obviously, the commitment to family, home, and faith is strong in this tune emphasizing that the American dream is a lot more than material blessings and prosperity. The positioning of the American dream towards rootedness and home is powerful throughout her songwriting.
“Living in America” by James Brown
Who doesn’t love Apollo Creed and “Rocky IV?” As a child of the Cold War, I was upset when Ivan Drago killed Apollo. How do you kill somebody like that after such an iconic entry into the boxing ring? I wanted revenge and for the Soviets to pay. Rocky helped take care of that and I always remember this song from the film.
From an American dream perspective, my takeaway from this tune is that America has a lot of energy with people hard at work all around the country. We are still a very young nation and the grind for a lot of folks is real.
“American Dream” by Dayton Farley
For a more cynical take on the American Dream, Drayton Farley’s song “American Dream” cuts straight to life on the margins in America—struggling just to make it day-to-day. If you’re familiar with more of his music, you’ll notice Farley’s directness, and he wastes no time getting to the point here.
“And it’s a hard-up kinda life,
Begging the ashtray for nickels and dimes,
Writing these songs, trying to wrap my mind around
A bullshit American dream.”
I appreciate the song for its focus on those that are struggling and facing worry and despair.
“Coal Miner’s Daughter” by Loretta Lynn
It’s hard to imagine another tune that so authentically paints a picture of the importance of hard work and the centrality of family. “Coal Miner’s Daughter” is really a rural-farm life and working man’s anthem, written by a woman from Butcher Hollow, Kentucky.
Well, I was borned a coal miner’s daughter
In a cabin, on a hill in Butcher Holler
We were poor but we had love
That’s the one thing that daddy made sure of
He shoveled coal to make a poor man’s dollar
Lynn’s father died young and had black lung at the time of his death from his work in the coal mines. It’s not a glamorous life but another reminder of the sacrifices families made to improve their living situation and family life.
“Born in the U.S.A.” by Spruce Springsteen
I love that we’re constantly told that “Born in the U.S.A.” is an anti-American anthem or we’re not supposed to interpret it as patriotic. It’s funny to me that people take it the wrong way. Good for them if they do. Still, I suspect even Bruce Springsteen knew what he was doing by wrapping the words around an upbeat rock anthem. I do think this song likely played some role in piquing my interest on the VIetnam War and the happenings at Khe Sanh. Unlike some, I constantly listened and analyzed lyrics as a kid.
I’ll give Springsteen his due though. It’s good to be critical of the way our government and even many Americans treated Vietnam veterans. Politicians and officials failing us is a valid aspect of American life and curtailing our dreams.
“Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton
My coat of many colors
That my momma made for me
Made only from rags
But I wore it so proudly
Although we had no money
I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me
What else really needs to be said? “Coat of Many Colors” is an American masterpiece. If you ever need a reframing of what success looks like, listen to this song.
“America” by Neil Diamond
I’m not a big Neil Diamond fan. I find it a little weird that he later revealed that he wrote “Sweet Caroline” after watching a 12-year-old Caroline Kennedy on horseback. I do remember “America” on the radio on long car rides as a kid though. While I’m not an immigrant, I have lived abroad and I remember people telling me how great it must be to live in America and they wanted to live there, too. Those experiences and seeing how others in the world lived helped me appreciate my country a lot more.
“America” is a good reminder of all the huddled masses in the world who have come to this country and not only created a better life for themselves, but contributed so much to our culture and economy. Immigrants like the great film director Frank Capra often appreciate and understand our nation so much better than those who always lived here.
“Grandview” by John Mellencamp
Here is a great tribute to those that dream small. This song is about a man’s dream to leave his little town and hard factory job for fancier trailer park living overlooking the Ohio River.
I’ve probably been within 20 miles of Grandview, Indiana a few times but never been there. When I lived in Kentucky, I always found the banks of the Ohio River quintessentially Americana. At any rate, a great tribute to the smaller and more humble dreams of many hardworking Americans.
“The Field Have Turned Brown” by the Stanley Brothers
Carter Stanley is one of those great but underrated songwriters if you haven’t heard of him and his more well known brother Ralph Stanley. This is one of those early recordings that got me interested in the Stanley style of bluegrass music. It’s soulful with that instantly recognizable high and lonesome sound.
It’s a powerful reminder that family is irreplaceable, and sometimes pursuing your dreams means facing hard choices—ones that come with their own price.
